It's a cooking method = 3 hours to cook, 2 hours to cook wrapped in foil, 1 hour to finish... This is the simple version... There's info on the all over the internet.

Having a hard time getting my drum clean. Burned it twice to the point that it was glowing on the outside. I can still see the $%# red lining on about 50% of the inside.

Has anyone tried using a water soluble remover? Also thinking about taking a weed burner to it.

Thanks for any help.

did you drill the intake holes already? that'll help get that fire really roaring

When I tried the ol' weed burner the flame kept going out due to lack of O2 inside the drum. I ended up paying a guy $20 to sand blast it.

Yeah, was wondering about that... if the intake holes on the bottom aren't there yet, the fire will be going up and not down -- fire feeds, it needs oxygen, no oxygen in one direction, no fire movement.

I lit my fire with out drilling the holes....top of the drum is ready to go, bottom, still has the paint on it. I drilled the holes and I am going to burn again tonight after work. Then, my buddy is going to sand blast it for me. I will be doing a test run tomorrow, shoulder on Sunday.

$20 well spent there! Most guys who use the weed burner do it from the outside but for $20 you can't go wrong with a sand blast.

OK, I have a question about your charcoal baskets.

My expando steel cube is the same on each size. I mean, I have noticed some charcoal baskets have wider spaced expando on the bottom then on the sides. I was thinking of just putting the same spacing expando on the bottom...is that OK?

I dont want to go buy another sheet of expando when I already bought one if I can get away with it.

I was thinking of going to my BBQ boneyard and using an old grate for the bottom? that might work as well, if i couldnt use the same expando I had been using.

Thanks!

Just makes it eaiser for the ash to drop to the bottom. Otherwise you may have to bang the drum more often!!

Paul B

ok, If I bang the drum, will my food get covered in ash? if i use an old grate attached to my expando, will i go through more coals cause they are falling through as they get smaller??

That's an excellent price. I paid twice that to get my drum sandblasted.

No kidding, that's a deal. I had a guy quote me $130 to blast a drum. I declined his generous offer.

No..

Probably not, when they get small they are probably spent anyway.

Paul B

Here's four tips for burning out a drum.
1. Use hardwood only- it burns hot, doesn't leave a sappy film and smells good.
2. The barrel doesn't have to be upright- it can be on its side and roll it
3. My favorite is to throw the barrels in a big ass brush fire- if you can get near it then its not big enough.
4. If burning near a shop with a compressor, then use a long nozzle air gun and help the fire where you need to- like a black smith. You can cherry any spot!

Burned mine three times and still had signs of the liner. Then it was wire wheel and sanding time.